Lasting machine



y 1944- F. c. EASTMAN 2,349,815

LAS'IING MACHINE Filed Nov. 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l v F. c; EASTMAN LASTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 30, 1942 May 30, 1944.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 30, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I v 2,349,815 7 LAsTrNG MACHINE Fred (IQ-Eastman, Marblehead, Mass, assignor t0 United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemingrton; N. 'J;. acorporation of. New Jersey Application ames 20, 194.2,[Serial No. 467,306

Claims.

This invention relates to lasting machines, and is herein illustrated asapplied to a poweroperated toe-lasting machinewhich, except as hereinafter noted, is generally .of,the same con} structionasqdisclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,160,846, granted on June 6, 1939 on an application of mine and A."F.,Pyms. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to machine organizations of that particular character. i i

.The machine shown in. the above-mentioned Letters Patent is provided with wipers for wiping the toe-end portion of an upper heightwise of a last and then inwardly over an insole on. the

last, and also with grippersfonapplying a pull 7 to the toeend of the upper in] the course of, the lasting operation. In- Letters Patent No. 2,303,342, granted on-Decernber 1,..1942 onan application of mine, there .is,disclosed,..instead of such grippers, a device having the function of whatis commonly known asa retarder, this device being arranged to clamp themarginal portion of thaupper outspread on the wipers and to cooperate with them in applying; ,a pull to the upper while preventing theformation of any objectionable wrinkles in theupper in the course of the lasting operation An objectof theppresent invention is to provideimproved. means for thus controlling the upper.:.. For the purposes in view, the construction herein; shown comprises a retarder for clamping the upper on the wipers at the endand the sides of the .toe, and a pair of links mounted to swing respectively about diflerent axes extending widthwise of the shoe and supporting theretarder fortipping movement about an axis determined by the links to position and maintain it inproper relation to the upper andthe wipers. In, a ma.- chine organization of the character illustrated in-Letters Patent No: 2,160,346, the wipersv are swung about an. axis extending widthwiseofthe shoe and-1ast=from a position: inclined relatively to the shoe bottom to aposition substantially parallel to the shoe bottom in wiping theupper heightwiseof the last, i. e., in performing what is commonly known as the upwiping operation; and as applied to suchan organization the above-mentioned links controlling the .retarder permit it-to tip in such manner asto'maintain a substantially parallel relation to the wipers while clamping the upper .both at theend-and the sides of the toe substantially throughout the .upwiping operation. More particularly, the construction; herein shown is =suchthat the "links extend in directions converging toward -the.-re.

tarder in such relation thereto that the tipping movement of the retarder under control of the links is about an axis lying substantially on its upper-clamping face and at substantial distances from itsopposite ends measured lengthwise of the shoe. In tipping about this axis, as the upper is wiped heightwise of the last by the wipers, the retarder maintains its parallel relation to the wipers without any tendency, by reason of its tipping movement, to shift its position along the plane of the wipers in such manner as might afiect unfavorably its control of the margin of the upper materials; and under the control of the links, moreover, the retarder applies substantially the same clamping pressure to the upper both at the end and at the sides of the toe.

The .novelfeatures of the invention, including various novel details of construction and-combinations of parts, will now bemore particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and thereafter pointed out in the claims;

In thejdrawings, Fig. 1 is, a view, partly in right-hand side elevation and partly in section, of a portion of a beginning of the toe-lasting operation;

Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-III of Fig. 2;

. Fig. 4 is a partly diagrammatic view illustrating more clearly the manner of control of the retarder; h Fig. 5 is a. view mainly in vertical section illustrating the positions of the parts substantially at the beginning of the upwiping operation of the wipers on the upper;

I Fig. 6 is mainly a plan view, with certain parts omitted, showing thewipers and the retarder at the same time in the operation of the machine asin Fig. 5; and U Fig.3 isa View similar to Fig. 5, but illustratingthepositions, of the parts after the wipers have begun to wipe the marginal portion of the upper inwardly .over the-insole.

- In View of the disclosure of Letters Patent No. 2,160,846, thepresent description will be confined to such portionsv of the machine as it is necessary to refer to for an understanding of the invention. Themachine is provided, as heretofore, with a member 2 (Figs. 1 and 6) against which the operator positions the bottom face of the toe end of the insole in presenting the shoe to the machine. In operating on a shoe of the welt type, as herein illustrated, this member is formed to fit the inner face of the lip of the insole around the end and along the sides of the toe and thus further to determine the position of the shoe in the lasting operation. Shortly after the starting of the power operation of the machine the shoe is clamped against the member 2 by a toe rest 3. The machine is further provided with a pair of wipers 6 which are advanced and closed to embrace the upper about the toe end of the last and. as is evident from a comparison of Fig. i

with Figs. and 7, are swung upwardly about an axis extending widthwise of the shoe from a position inclined relatively to the shoe bottom to a position substantially parallel to the shoe bottom inperforming an upwiping operation on the upper. Thereafter the wipers are further advanced and closed to wipe the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over the feather and against the lip of the insole, the lip being supported against the inward pressure of the wipers by the member 2. v

In the machine herein shown, as in that shown in the previously mentioned Letters Patent No. 2,303,342, grippers for applying a pull to the toe end of the upper in the manner disclosed in Letters Patent No. 2,160,846 are dispensed with. In place of such grippers the present invention provides a retarder 8, constructed as hereinafter described, for clamping the marginal portion of the toe end of the upper outspread on the top faces of the wipers 8 to control'the upper in the course of the lasting operation. This retarder is supported, as also more particularly hereinafter described, on the lower end of a bar In which corresponds to the bar 34 shown in. the above-mentioned Letters Patent No. 2,303,342 for controlling a retarder which in that instance was not supported on the bar. For pressing the retarder on the upper, for varying the pressure in the course of the lasting operation and for thereafter releasing the-upper from pressure, the bar I0 is operated and controlled by mechanism constructed like that shown in the last-mentioned Letters Patent for controlling the bar 34, which mechanism. will be herein briefly described. It includes an arm 12 pivotally supporting the bar H) between the upper and lower ends of the bar and mounted to swing about the axis of a rockshaft M. By swinging movements of the arm I2 the bar lllis moved downwardly to carry the retarder 8 into upper-clamping position and is later moved upwardly to return the retarder to its initial position. In thesemovements the bar M] is further guided and controlled by an arm or link It pivotally connected to its upper end. Integral with the arm, I2 is another arm "3 connected by a threaded spindle 20, to an arm 22 which is integral with the upper part 24 of a twopart clamp 25 embracing a friction ring 28 on the rockshaft M, the ring being held in fixed relation to the shaft by a pin v30. The clamp 26 has a lower part 32 connected to the upper part by a link 34. Pivotally mounted at one end on the upper part 24 is a lever. 36 connected midway between its ends to the lower part 32 by a link 38. The other end of the lever 36 is connected to the lower end of a spring 40 the upper end of whichis connected to a member not herein shown. The spring'40, which is under tension, acts through the lever 36 and the link 38 to hold the two-part clamp 26 in frictional engagement with ring 28 and also tends to turn the clamp about the axis of the rockshaft M in the direction to impart downward movement to the bar In and the retarder 8. Initially such turning of the clamp is prevented by engagement of the pin 30 with a shoulder at one end of a. slot 42 in the lower part 32 of the clamp, through which slot the pin extends. In the operation of the machine the rockshaft I4 is turned first in a counterclockwise direction with reference to Fig. 1, thus permitting the spring 40 to turn the clamp in that direction and thereby to move the retarder downwardly toward the wipers. The rockshaft is automatically controlled by a cam (not herein shown), and the timing of its movements relatively to the movements of the wipers may be assumed to be the same as disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent No. 2,303,342. Accordingly, the downward movement of the bar III to carry the retarder into position for clamping the upper on the wipers takes place prior to the effective upwiping action of the wipers on the upper. After the wipers in their upward swinging. movement have arrived in position to cause the retarder to clamp the upper thereon, as illustrated in Fig. 5, they cooperate with the retarder as they are moved farther upwardly to apply a pull to the upper as it is being wiped heightwise of the last, the margin of the upper slipping more or less between the wipers and the retarder. In this operation the retarder is lifted by the wipers, causing the clamp 26 to turn about the friction ring 28 against the resistance of the spring 40, as permitted by the slot 42. Aslthe clamp is thus turned the friction of the ring 28 thereon supplements the force of the spring. in resisting the upward movement of the retarder and therefore increases the force with which the upper is clamped on the wipers. Prefera'bly at a time when the wipers have nearly arrived at the limit of their upwiping movement the rockshaft l4 begins to turn reversely in a. clockwise direction, thus causing the ring 28 by frictional engagement with the clamp partially to counteract the force of the spring 40 and thus to reduce the pressure of the retarder on the upper, the reduced pressure being continued as the wipers begin to wipe the margin of the upper inwardly over the insole. Preferably before the wipers have completed their inward wiping movements the pin 30, as the rockshaft continues to turn in a clockwise direction, arrives in position to act on the clamp and then begins to lift the bar l0 and thus tocarry the retarder away from the upper, as illustrated in Fig. '7. While the timing of the operations of the means for controlling the retarder may thus be assumed tobe the same as disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent No. 2,303,342, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to a construction operating in that particular manner.

The retarder B is a substantially U-shaped' retarder for clamping the upper on the wipers around the end and along portions of the sides of the toe. It comprises a pair of upper-clamping" members 44 eacharranged to engage the upper along one side and part way around the end of the toe, the members being mounted on a rod 46 for adjustment toward or from each other, and a central upper-clamping member 48 arranged to bridge any space between the two members 44 at the end of the toe. The member 48 is provided with flanges 50 (Fig. 6) whereby it also is mounted on the rod' 46', and it is arranged to overlap flatfaces on the members 44 in such manner that all three members are held in fixedrelation to one another with respect toinovem'ent about the'axis of the rod 46. This rod is securedtothe lower end of a downwardly and forwardly inclined link 52 the upper end of whichis secured on a rod 54 mounted'to turn in bearings in'a rearwardly inclined; bifurcated lower end portion of the bar H). The lower end of the link 52 lies between the two flanges Uof the member 48 and its upper end between the forks of the-bar In. The centralmember 48 of the retarder is further connected to the lower end of the bar H) by a link 56 pivotally mounted on a rod 58 supported by lugs '60 extending rearwardly from the central member and on a rod 62 supported by the lower end of the bar. Threaded on the rod 54 are two hand wheels 64 each provided with a flange 65 arranged to lie in a groove formed in the hublof an arm 68 mountedto swing about th rod 54. Each arm 68 is provided with a downwardlyjextending lug arranged to lie in a groove 12 formed in that portion of one of theside members 44 of the retarder which extendsabove the rod 46. Each arm 68 is controlled by a torsion spring 14 one end of which extendsinto a hole in the hub of the arm and the other .end of which is anchored on a pin 16 mounted in the upper end of the link 52. Each spring 14. tends to swing the arm 68 which it controls in a downward direction and thus holds the lug ID on the arminfthe groove 12. It will thus be seen that by turning the hand wheels 64 the side members 44 of the retarder may be adjusted in directions widthwise of the shoe, each independently of the other, as required by shoes of different widths. .The arms 68 may be swung upwardly against the resistance of the springs 14 to withdraw their lugsflll from the grooves 12, whereupon the retarder members 44 may be removed from the rod 46 to permit differently formed members to be conveniently substituted for shoes of different shapes. 1

It will be evident that the-retarder is supported by the links 52 and 56 for tipping movement in such manner as to permit it to adjust itself to the inclination of the wipers when it first clamps the upper thereon, as illustratedin Fig. 5, and to maintain its parallel relation to the wipers as the latter are swung farther upwardlyto a substantially horizontal plane preparatory to the wiping of the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over the insole. The two links extend in directions converging toward the retarder and are connected to it in locations spaced apart lengthwise of the shoe, the link 56 being shorter than the link 52 and extending more nearly lengthwise of the shoe than the link 52. The tipping movement of the retarder is about an axis determined by these links and indicated at at in Fig. 4, this axis lying substantially on the upperclamping face of the retarder and at substantial distances from its opposite ends measured lengthwise of the shoe. The position of this axis in relation to the retarder remains substantially unchanged within the range of tipping movement which the retarder receives in. the course of the operation of the machine. When the retarder is lifted to release the upper (Fig. 7) it tends to maintain the same position which it then occupies relatively to the bar l0 until it is moved into engagement with the upper of the next shoe, a light spring 18 coiled about the rod 62 being arranged to engage and support the link 56 underneath when the retarder is in that position. When the retarder is moved downwardly into upper-clamping position, therefore, it may engage the upper first at the end of the toe and then tip from a position such as indicated by full lines in Fig. 4 to a position such as indicated by dotand-dash lines in adjusting itself to the inclined Wipers As the wipers are thereafter swung farther upwardly to a substantially horizontal plane the retarder is tipped reversely by the action of the wipers thereon to the position indicated by full lines in Fig. 4.

It will be evident that'by reason of the location of the axis a: the pressure of the retarder on all portions of the upper which it engages is substantially equalized, and it will be further evident that as the retarder is tipped in the course of the unwiping operation of the wipers it has no substantial tendency by reason of such tipping movement to shift its position relatively to the wipers in such manner as might affect undesirablyits control of the clamped margin of the upper. v I

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the toe-end portion of an upper into lasted position, of a retarder for clamping the marginal portion of the upper outspread on the Wipers at the end and the sides of the toe,

and a plurality of links mounted to swing respectively about different axes extending widthwise of the shodsaid links supporting the retarderfor tipping movement about an axis extending widthwise of the shoe in a location determined by the links. 35

2. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the toe-end portion of an upper into'lasted position, of a retarder for clamping the marginal portion of the upper outspread on thewipers at the end and the sides of the toe,

and a pair of links mounted to swing respectively about different axes extending widthwise of the shoe and connected to said retarder respectively in locations spaced apart lengthwise of the shoe, said links supporting the, retarder for tipping movement about an axis determined by the links and located substantially on the upperclamping face of the retarder. a

3. In a lasting machine, the combination with fwipers for wiping the toe-end portion of an upper into lasted'position, of aretarder for clamping the marginal portion of the upper outs read on the wipers at the end and the sides of the toe, and a plurality of links mounted to swing respectively about different axes extending widthwise of the shoe and supporting said retarder for tipping movement about an axis extending widthwise of the shoe in a location determined by the links, said axis being located substantially on the upper-clamping face of the retarder and at substantial distances from its opposite ends measured lengthwise of the shoe.

4. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the toe-end portion of an upper into lasted position, of a retarder for clamping the marginal portion of the upper outspread tances fromits opposite ends-measured lengthwis'e of the shoe.

5.- In'a lasting machine, the combination with on the wipers at the end and the sides of the toe,

and a pair of links mounted to swing respectively about different axes extendingwidthwise of the shoe and connected to said retarder respectively in locations spaced apart lengthwise of the shoe, said links supporting the retarder for tipping movement controlled by the links to permit it to adjust itself to the upper and the wipers in response to pressure of the upper thereon.

6. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the toe-end portion of an upper into lasted position, of a retarder for clamping the marginal portion of the upper outspread on the wipers at the end and the sides of the toe, and a pair of non-parallel links mounted to swing respectively about different axes extending widthwise of the shoe and connected to said retarder respectively in different locations, said links supporting the retarder for tipping movement about an axis determined by the links and extending widthwise of the shoe to permit it to adjust itself to the upper and the wipers in response to pressure of the upper thereon.

- 7. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the toe-endportion of an upper into lasted position, of a retarder for clamping the marginal portion of the upper outspread on the wipers at the end and the sides of the toe, and a pair of links mounted to swing respectively about different axes extending widthwise of the shoe and supporting said retarder for tipping extending in directions converging toward the retarder. i

v 8. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the toe-end portion of an upper into lasted position, said wipers beingmovable heightwise of the shoe from a position inclined relatively to the shoe bottom to a position substantially parallel to. the shoe bottom in wiping engagement with the upper, of a retarder for clamping the marginal portion of the upper outspread on the wipers at the end and the sides of the toe to control it as the wipers are thus moved heightwiseof the shoe, and a plurality of links mounted to swing respectively about difierent axes extending widthwiseof the shoe and supporting said retarder for tipping movement about an axis determined by the links and also extending widthwise of the shoe in the course of such movement of the wipers.

9. In a lasting machine, the combination with Wipers for wiping the toe-end portion of an upper into lasted position, said wipers being movable heightwise of the shoe from a position inclined relatively to the shoe bottom to a position substantially parallel to the shoe bottom in wiping engagement with the upper, of a'retarder for clamping the marginal portion of the upper outspread on the wipers at the end and the sides of the toe to control it as the wipers are thus moved heightwise of the shoe, and a pair of links mounted to swing respectively about difierent axes extending widthwise of the shoe and supporting said retarder for tipping movement about an axis determined by the links and also extending widthwise of the shoe in the course of such movement of the wipers, said links extending indirections converging toward the retarder and being connected to the retarder respectively in locations spaced apart lengthwise of the shoe.

10. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the toe-end portion of an upper into lasted position, said wipers being movable heightwise of the shoe from a position inclined relatively to the shoe bottom to a position substantially parallel to the shoe bottom in wiping engagement with the upper, of a retarder for clamping the marginal portion of the upper outspread on the wipers at the end and the sides of the toe to control it as the wipers are thus moved heightwise of the shoe, and a plurality of links mounted to swing respectively about different axes extending widthwise of the shoe and supporting said retarder for tipping movement about an axis determined by the links and also extending widthwise of the shoe in the course of such movement of the wipers, said axis being located substantially on the upper-clamping face of the retarder and at substantial distances from its opposite ends measured lengthwise of the shoe.

FRED C. EASTMAN. 

